1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to apparatus for the collection and disposal of animal feces.
2. Description of the Prior Art (Prior Art Statement)
The following statement is intended to be a Prior Art Statement in compliance with the guidance and requirements of 37 CFR sections 1.56, 1.97 and 1.98 and with section 609 of the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure.
The most relevant prior arts known to applicant include U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,715 to Casci; U.S. Pat. No. 3,778,097 to Dorzan; U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,737 to Drum; U.S. Pat. No. 3,431,008 to Narita; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,744 to Krogstad et al.
Both the Casci and Dorzan patents show two-armed sanitation devices each having a scoop attached to one arm and a receptacle means attached to the second arm.
Drum shows a sanitation device having a receptacle attached to a longitudinal frame and having pick-up means actuated by a movable lever.
Narita shows a sanitation device having a receptacle means attached to the end of a longitudinal frame and having a lid on said receptacle means actuated by a lever attached to the upper end of the longitudinal frame.
Krogstad, et al. shows a sanitation device having a disposable receptacle retained thereon by means of an elastic band.
Other prior art references showing sanitation devices for the collection of animal fecal material and other refuse include:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,139--Battaglia PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,509--Hufnagel PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,912,316--Veech PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,079--Nicholas PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,831--Cassidy PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,135--Magliaro PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,854,578--Sharpe PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,686--Gallo et al. PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,598--Lavaggi PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,754,785--Anderson PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,733,098--Tobias PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,483--Hamilton PA0 U.S. Pat. No. 3,139,299--Bowen
It is seen that there has been considerable effort made in the prior art to achieve a convenient, economically constructed, sanitary and socially acceptable apparatus for the collection of refuse, and particularly of animal fecal material. There is a particular need for such a device in our cities where pollution of the streets by animal excrement is a major problem. All of the devices previously known to the prior art have had several deficiencies however. Many have been awkward in their operation and unsanitary in their ultimate means of disposing of the refuse.
Casci provides no means for retaining the refuse in a totally enclosed manner prior to ultimate disposition. This may allow the refuse to be spilled should the device be dropped. Furthermore, the disposable receptacle used in Casci is of an unusual design which must be specially fabricated for that device.
Similar deficiencies are seen in Dorzan and Drum. Furthermore, the apparatus of Drum does not provide a positive means for scooping up the refuse, but rather the refuse is "flipped" into the receptacle which necessarily means that at least small portions of the refuse will be scattered about in an undesirable manner.
The Narita apparatus is deficient in that it does not include a positive means for scooping up the refuse, but rather the refuse is pushed into a receptacle, thereby tending, undesirably, to spread the refuse upon the ground.
Krogstad shows the further deficiency of a device which cannot be operated from a standing position, but which requires that the operator stoop to reach the ground surface.